Everybody J-Walks

So I have yet to see someone get caned for J-walking...it seems as though many people won't hesitate crossing the street without a signal, but that's not to say that there isn't an inordinate amount of people who wait (not if you're used to cities like NYC or London--but hey, what makes those places any more ordinary?), though I'm sure that as soon as I step out of the dotted white lines (I lie, they're not dotted...and while we're on the subject of lies, I forgot who I told this to, but the street I'm staying on does not have cobblestones...it's lined with bricks...I must have dreamed up the cobblestones...oh, and I'm not staying in Little India either, rather, Arab Street, but someone else dreamt that one up) or cross before the Red blinking man turns to Green, I'm sure I'd be the first to be made an example of!

Interestingly, you won't ever see a single policeman on the streets.  And this is considered the safest place in the world!  I guess it's the thought of retribution that keeps people in line... it's funny, cause you can see police all over cities like DC, but that doesn't make the city any more safe, does it?  Does police presence in our major cities create the illusion of being safe?  I'm not sure!  I used to tell people that North West DC, where I lived, was one of the safest places in the world, because you had three kinds of police:  University Police, Metropolitan Police, and Secret Service/FBI.  But crime, rape and murder was still rampant, even if you didn't see it per se, ... muggings especially.

Today I got myself a cell phone and went on to explore two new parts (new for me, I mean) of the city: Chinatown and Little India.  It's amazing the number of different ethnic groups, and religions, that are represented in Singapore, all of whom seem to live in harmony with each other.  I'd like to see the rest of the world take a hint!